Victor Ozhianvuna might not have been fast-tracked into the Republic of Ireland squad for the training camp in Murcia, but the Arsenal-bound teenager's growth for Shamrock Rovers has skyrocketed this season, according to ex-Hoops midfielder Paul Corry.
Heimir Hallgrimsson opted not to call up any current League of Ireland players for the week-and-a-half trip to southern Spain.
Bohemians midfielder Dawson Devoy had been among those tipped for a call-up from the domestic player pool. But Shamrock Rovers manager Stephen Bradley had also sung from the rooftops about the merits of allowing 17-year-old Ozhianvuna to travel with the Irish senior team.
Speaking on the RTÉ Soccer Podcast, Corry admitted he was not surprised that no LOI players were included in Hallgrimsson's 21 but contrasted Devoy's exclusion with that of under-19 international Ozhianvuna.
"I think the Ozhianvuna discussion is probably similar to the one that Keith (Treacy) mentioned about Jaden Umeh," he said.
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"His ceiling is very high. You could see that potentially in 12, 24 or 36 months' time, he becomes more of a feature within that squad, and potentially bringing him in now gives him a little bit more flavour of what is to come.
"You expose him to players who are in very professional environments in the UK and throughout Europe and you get him familiar with the manager and the set-up, style and what the expectation is from the position that he's going to be playing in.
"So you could probably make more of a case for Ozhianvuna. I'm sure that's the angle that Stephen Bradley was looking at."
Ozhianvuna, who will officially join Arsenal after he turns 18 next January, has taken a big step in his development this season, becoming a regular starter for SSE Airtricity Men's Premier Division leaders Shamrock Rovers.
On Monday, he impressed in the Hoops' 4-1 win over Drogheda United.
"We mentioned Ozhianvuna at the top of the show. I thought he was excellent," Corry said.
"We saw bits of him last year where he was playing more in a wide area. It's been interesting to see.
"Physically, the development is very obvious. He's grown into his body. He's obviously been on a pretty strict programme in order to beef up.
"But seeing him play centrally over the last couple of weeks, how comfortable he is on the ball, he has the ability to go past players.
"I thought what was really interesting to see the other day was his intelligence to put balls down the side of the centre-halves and when you've got a willing runner in Michael Noonan, why wouldn't you?
"But just his general sort of distribution and creativity was brilliant and there was also a moment there where he goes shoulder to shoulder with Andy Quinn and Andy Quinn ends up on the floor, I'm not sure that's a situation that you would have seen 12 months ago."
Corry pointed out that Ozhianvuna playing in wider roles last season was almost certainly by design before a combination of Arsenal's plans for him and his physical development paved the way to move into the central engine room.
"I would say that was very deliberate. That also might have something to do with where Arsenal potentially see him playing and I'm sure that's where they would want him to see him having experience," he said.
"I think what I look for with central midfield players is, who can look forward and who can play forward. It's easy at times to play backwards and sideways.
"I'm always looking at players who can receive the ball on the half turn, who can play forward or go past a player with one touch and really accelerate into that final third and for me, Ozhianvuna pretty much does all of that and I'm seeing that in the last couple of weeks.
"I would say that is deliberate from Bradley. He was very slight last year and had he been on the end of a crunching tackle in the middle of the park, that probably doesn't end well. He has the body now to be able to support himself."
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